Mark Zuckerberg recently emphasized that people without AI glasses will face a cognitive disadvantage in the future. During Meta’s second-quarter earnings call, he shared his belief that glasses will become the primary way users interact with artificial intelligence. According to Zuckerberg, AI glasses will offer a continuous connection to the digital world by letting AI see what you see, hear what you hear, and communicate with you.
He explained that adding a display to the glasses will unlock even more value. This display could be a wide, holographic view, like the one planned for Meta’s upcoming Orion AR glasses. Alternatively, it could be a smaller, more discreet display for everyday use. Zuckerberg said, “If you don’t have glasses with AI or a way to interact with AI, you’ll likely face a significant cognitive disadvantage compared to others.”
Meta has invested heavily in smart glasses like Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta. These devices let users listen to music, take photos or videos, and ask Meta AI questions about their surroundings. The glasses have unexpectedly boosted revenue, with sales of Ray-Ban Meta glasses tripling year-over-year, according to EssilorLuxottica, the glasses manufacturer.
Despite this success, Zuckerberg believes the potential of AI glasses goes far beyond today’s models. He pointed out that Meta’s Reality Labs division has spent the last decade pushing research and innovation in this area. However, Reality Labs has also been costly, with operating losses of $4.53 billion in the latest quarter and nearly $70 billion in total losses since 2020. Still, Zuckerberg views these losses as investments in the future of AI and consumer technology.
Other companies also explore new AI form factors. For example, OpenAI recently bought Jony Ive’s startup to build AI devices. Meanwhile, startups have tested AI pins and pendants, but glasses remain the most practical. Since many people already wear glasses, they seem more socially acceptable than other wearables. Zuckerberg also highlighted glasses’ ability to blend the physical and digital worlds, a key part of Meta’s Metaverse vision. He said AI will accelerate this fusion dramatically. Ultimately, while the future of AI devices might be unpredictable, Zuckerberg champions AI glasses as the likely way forward.
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